‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ star Ashley Holliday Tavares opens up about her time on set, hopes for season 2, and more.
Written by: Gracie Lowes
Fans of Wattpad, love triangle tropes, and teen dramas are in luck because Netflix just released their adaptation of the hit novel “My Life with the Walter Boys” by Ali Novak.
The series follows “Fifteen-year-old Manhattanite Jackie Howard who after losing her family in a tragic accident, leaves behind her privileged and proper life in New York and moves to rural Colorado to be with her guardian - her mother's best friend, Katherine, who is raising ten kids with her husband, George. While settling into her new, chaotic countryside home, Jackie is determined to stay focused on her dream of getting into Princeton...all while wrapping her head around her feelings for two very different Walter brothers: the reliable and bookish Alex, and the mysterious and troubled Cole.”
I had the chance to sit down (virtually) with actress Ashley Holliday Tavares who plays “Tara” in the series, to talk about her time on set, what drew her to her character, future projects, and more.
You can read the full interview below.
Gracie Lowes: First off congratulations on the upcoming release of “My Life with the Walter Boys''! How has this release been both building up to it and soon having it out globally?
Ashley Holliday Tavares: “Thank you! The build-up has been tremendous because we wrapped in August of 2022. So, you can only imagine the anticipation! Shooting this show was such a blast and I couldn’t wait to see that reflected on-screen. And I’m so excited for audiences to see it!”
Gracie: These characters go through a lot of drama and growth in the show. Could you talk a bit about what it’s like stepping into your character “Tara” and how you personally have seen her grow since you started filming (without giving too much away)?
Ashley: “Tara is a woman trying to find herself. She’s so grounded in her career as a guidance counselor and has committed so much of her life to her job because she loves it, but that hasn’t lent itself to a lot of time to find love. I think she’s looking for that last puzzle piece to make her life feel significant. And she really goes on that journey in the first season.”
Gracie: Everyone on this set seems super close, I’m wondering do you have a favourite moment or memory from the set.
Ashley: “Too many to count! First off, I can 100% confirm that everyone in the cast & crew is the legit best. So fun, so warm, so collaborative. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cast love each other as much as this cast does. As for a favorite memory, there’s a certain scene in which Tara pops open a bottle of champagne, and rather than the cork coming off slowly, it shot across the room like it was New Year’s Eve, which was definitely not supposed to happen! And all of us actors in the scene just kept on acting! It was crazy. And hilarious. And a moment I will never forget.”
Gracie: What drew you to want to be a part of this project, was it the script or your character, or fellow actors on set?
Ashley: “The character and the script had me at hello. I loved how openly vulnerable, funny, and human Tara was written, all thanks to the creator of our show, the brilliant Melanie Halsall. It’s so hard to be a “heart on your sleeve” type of person these days, and I find Tara to be very brave for being just that. For truly being herself.”
Gracie: Were you a fan of or had you heard of the book before booking your role?
Ashley: “I hadn’t read the book before being cast on the show, but I read it on the plane the first time I headed to Calgary and was hooked! I can’t get enough of a good love triangle.”
Gracie: If you could describe this series in three words what would they be and why?
Ashley: “Grief, because Jackie goes through the unimaginable at the beginning of our show, and has to navigate that while navigating a whole new life.
Family, because Jackie and the Walter’s, and all of their complexities, are the heart of this show. The way that they love, fight, and experience life together is going to be so fun to watch.
Dreamy, because it’s so beautifully shot, and watching our main characters fall for each other amidst all that beauty is the dreamiest! The locations are stunning, almost feels like another character on the show.”
Gracie: I’m wondering have you guys imagined your ideal storyline for a possible season two and what direction you want these characters to go in?
Ashley: “Oh, I’ve definitely imagined what a season 2 would look like. For all of the characters! Without spoiling anything, I think Tara finds herself at a crossroads at the end of season 1 and I very much want to explore that in a second season. And I would love to see Jackie discover herself even more in season 2. She’s such a beautifully written character, played with such depth by Nikki Rodriguez, and I hope we get the chance to see where the road takes her.”
Gracie: Do you have any future projects you could hint at or talk about?
Ashley: “I recently wrapped the second season of Roku’s Doomlands, an animated show set in an otherworldly wasteland, on a mobile bar, called the Oasis. I play Xanthena, the bar’s bouncer and all-around guru. Doomlands is the best kind of wild, as are our episode recording sessions. So much incredible improv from my talented co-stars. It’s so fun to be a part of.”
